Texas Tech Football: 3-star OL Hakeem White Picks Red Raiders
The Texas Tech football program received a verbal commitment from 3-star OL Hakeem White on Thursday, the 15th player to commit to the 2018 recruiting class.
Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury has had a busy week. In addition to participating in Big 12 media days on Monday and appearing on numerous ESPN television and radio programs later in the week, he has added two commits to the 2018 signing class.
On Thursday, Waco, Texas offensive lineman Hakeem White announced his commitment to the Red Raiders via twitter.
This news came on the heels of a verbal commitment from KeSean Carter, a speedy receiver out of The Woodlands, Texas.
White’s addition brings the 2018 Texas Tech signing class to 15 verbal commitments. That group now includes four offensive linemen.
The 6-foot-3, 281-pounder selected Texas Tech over offers from Baylor, Missouri, North Texas and Texas State. 247sports.com rates him as the No. 80 offensive guard and No. 209 overall prospect in Texas.
Though White plays primarily tackle in the above highlight video, he is projected as a guard at the next level and it is easy to see why. He is excellent run blocker that uses his athleticism and nimble feet to get to the second level of the defense. It is fun to watch him finish plays because he usually punishes defenders by driving them to the ground.
As a pass blocker, White needs work. He has the tendency to play with a high center of gravity often lunging towards pass rushers. His footwork is uneven at times as he does not consistently shuffle his feet the way elite pass blockers must in order to keep rushers in front of them.
Overall, White’s upside is high. He has an athletic build and the frame to easily add some weight once he gets into the Texas Tech football strength program. That kind of size makes him an interesting prospect. Fortunately, the depth of the 2017 Texas Tech offensive line signing class should allow him to take a redshirt season in 2018 to develop physically and refine his technique.
With the small number of seniors on the current roster, the 2018 class is expected to be smaller than most classes. That means there could be as few as three spots remaining for the coaching staff to fill.
Next: Texas Tech Offense Could Get Relief From The Defense
With four offensive linemen committed, the Red Raiders are likely finished adding linemen this year. The team will probably look to add at least one more defensive tackle and maybe two linebackers (of which there are none currently committed). Of course, “Wreck ‘Em Red” will have all the latest Texas Tech football recruiting news and analysis.